For Now, For Later: Part Two
by citigirl13
Summary: Sorry I'm still figuring out how to put in chapters - here's the REAL chapter two! Hope you like it! Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill


**Hey everyone! I just want to thank people for their truly awesome reviews! They've done wonders for my ego, especially with my awful history coursework (if I have to hear about one more whiney Russian peasant...). Anyway, it's done wonders for my ego, so I just want to thank everyone for all your great reviews. **

**So I thought, since everyone was asking me to continue the story, I might give it a go. I can't promise that it's going to stick to the main storyline, as it's already slightly off-focus. But I promise I'll do my best. **

**So, I hope you like it. Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill. Believe me, I wish I did. But I don't. So sad... **

*-*-*

**Chapter Two**

**Bulletproof **

It didn't hit her properly. She couldn't get her head round it: a boy, just an ordinary teenage boy, was pointing a gun at them. Her face, she was sure, was terrified, and it mirrored his.

Brooke was faster. Perhaps she didn't see the look on his face; maybe she was thinking quicker than Peyton was. She grasped her best friend's hand and ducked down to the floor, pulling Peyton down too. As they went down to the floor they heard the popping sound of a gun.

Glass shattered over their bodies, and Peyton felt pain in her leg. It felt as if a firework had exploded; as if it was on fire. She screamed, but so did everyone else until they all melted into one. People were screaming, shouting, but she couldn't concentrate on any of it. The pain was too much...

_Brooke_. She looked round for Brooke, but she couldn't see her. "Brooke!" she yelled, her voice weak. "BROOKE!" _Oh God, Brooke, where are you? _

She had to leave. She had to get _out _of here. But her leg fell beneath the weight of her as she tried to get up. Panic came over her, but she swallowed it down before it took over. Gritting her teeth, she crawled. She remembered when she and Brooke use to play these games, pretend they were attacking an army of aliens that would destroy planet earth, and had to crawl to avoid being shot.

To avoid being shot.

It was quieter in this area of the school, thank God. People had gotten out of _this _area faster, everyone except for Peyton. But she was going to get out of here, she was. She would see her father again, she would see Haley and Nate, and Brooke, and Lucas...

Oh God, Lucas.

She would see him again. She would see all of them again.

She would survive.

*-*-*

School was hell. Only this time, Lucas meant it literally.

He stepped off the bus, feeling as if he was on an alien planet. Kids were screaming, terror all over their faces. Everything that had occupied his mind disappeared, and now he didn't know what to do, what to say, how to act.

He was scared.

Suddenly he saw Brooke. His heart leapt as he called her name, running to her.

She placed her hands on her arms, tears leaking from her eyes. "Someone has a gun inside – they're shooting."

He stared at his girlfriend blankly. Shooting? He was vaguely aware of Nathan yelling for Haley – Haley, his best friend, oh God no – and Whitey ordering everyone on the bus. But only Brooke's words brought him out of his mind.

"Lucas, I lost Peyton."

_Peyton. _"Peyton's inside?"

"I don't know, she was right behind me. We we're by the library." Brooke was looking round frantically, as did Lucas. Peyton was inside. Peyton was inside the school, where someone was shooting.

"Haley's in the tutor centre." Nathan was staring at both Brooke and Lucas, thinking how Haley should have been there. Haley was _good _– she always saw the good in people, all that they were worth, even if they didn't. That was how it had been for him.

Lucas saw those eyes. The determined glint in Nate's eyes that meant business, which seemed to scare him even more – he knew what his brother was about to do. "Nate, no."

His brother began to back away. Lucas began to push Brooke away as Nate started running to the school. "Luke!" cried Brooke.

"Brooke, I'll be right back," he promised. He raced towards Nathan, tackling him to the ground. But Lucas knew better than that. Nathan immediately shoved his brother off him. "Get off me man!" He gave Lucas a look that made Lucas feel as if he was the dumbest person in the world. "Haley's inside."

His brother ran in. Lucas stared up at the school entrance, and then back at Brooke and Whitey. They were both expecting him to come running back – to do the right thing. But something was holding him back, preventing him from going back to his girlfriend. Haley, Nathan and Peyton were in there; his best friend, his brother, and the Girl Who Changed Everything. It was what he had been calling her in his head, ever since that night he had been up late letter writing.

Could he really leave her in there?

"Lucas!" Brooke yelled again.

_I'm sorry Brooke. _Without looking back he ran into the school, not knowing if he would ever see his Pretty Girl again.

*-*-*

Peyton had never really being in the library before. She didn't mind reading, but she wasn't like Lucas who read all those old books by Shakespeare; she preferred more modern, up to date novels. Some-times she would come in here to draw, but the library was actually more crowded than the art rooms, which was where Peyton usually went to draw.

Now she leant against the book shelves. Her leg still felt as if it was burning, and it wasn't numbing. But at least she had managed this far. Hopefully that kid – Jimmy, was it? – wouldn't come in here. She was scared, but some part of her believed that he wouldn't. He used to be Luke's friend, right? Lucas had good taste, didn't he? He knew who was good and who was bad.

But did a good person shoot someone?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of movement. She held her breath, not moving. _God, is this it? Am I going to die? _She felt tears leaking out her eyes. She hadn't swum with dolphins; she'd never visited Australia; never met any of the Foo Fighters. And she'd never found out what would happen later...

A person leapt towards her. She gave a little shriek. It probably would have been louder if she hadn't seen it was Lucas. Instead, it was one of relief.

"_Luke_," she sobbed.

He dropped the bat and went towards her. His dry hands stroked her hair, reaching down to her face. His knee brushed against her leg, and she gave a cry.

"What?" he asked, glancing up and down. It was then he caught sight of the wound on her leg. "I got cut by some glass," she said quickly. She wasn't sure who she was fooling.

"I lost Brooke," she said, starting to sob. "I'm sorry, Luke."

"It's okay, she's fine. She got out."

"She did?" Instantly Peyton felt relieved. Brooke was okay, she had managed to escape from this hell. "Oh thank God."

Both Lucas and Peyton sat a few moments in silence, each thinking about the girl they loved. "We need to get out of here," Lucas said finally.

"No!" Peyton cried, starting to sob again. "I can't walk, I tried. Please, Luke, we can't leave."

Lucas stared at her. Not many things scared Peyton Sawyer, but being shot in the leg had made her near hysterical. "Okay," he stated calmly, though his heart was pounding. "I'll go block the door."

Peyton nodded, allowing Lucas to leave her for now. But he would always come back.

*-*-*

Lucas could see Peyton was drifting off. "Tell me a story," he begged.

She opened her eyes, staring at him. "What?"

"Tell me a story, or a memory," he demanded. He had tried to stop the flow of blood from her leg, but it was still coming out like a river.

A sad smile appeared on Peyton's face. "My mom," she whispered. "My adoptive Mom."

Lucas was quiet, watching a glassy look glaze over her green eyes. "I loved her. We never got into fights, not really. I always fought with my dad – still do. But my mom would always make it okay, so we both completely forgot about what the fight was even about.

"I still dream of her. It's gotten worse since Ellie passed..." Her eyes began to tear up again as she thought of her birth mom. "Now I see them both." She smiled up at Lucas. "At least if I die, I'll see them again."

Lucas growled. "Don't talk like that, Peyton. You're not going to die, okay?" When she didn't reply, he shook her shoulder. "Say it," he commanded.

"I'm not going to die," she repeated in a weak voice, though Luke could hear the unconvinced tone.

"Good." Lucas couldn't even think about her dying. He still felt queasy, guessing it was the shock of the situation that was causing it.

"What about you?" she asked.

"Me?" Lucas asked, staring at her.

She smiled again, softer. "I told you how I felt about my mom."

"I think you know how I feel about mine."

Normally Peyton wouldn't ask this, but she was losing blood, giving her the same sensation of being drunk. "Tell me about your dad."

Lucas remained silent, staring straight ahead. "He's a dick."

"Do you remember the first time you saw him?"

Slowly, Lucas nodded. "I remember the first time I saw him when I found out he was my father. I was ten. The fair was in town, and I with the others: y'know, Skillz, Mouth, Junk, Fergie, Jimmy." Peyton opened her mouth, but paused; she wanted to hear the story. "It had been a few months after my mom told me. I was buying a hot dog, and when I turned round I saw him, across the street.

"We stared at each other. For the first time I made eye contact with my father, and for a moment everything stood still. And then Nathan and Deb came out of the shop. They didn't notice me. And then turned away. He made fucking eye contact with me, Peyton, and he just looked away. Didn't come over, didn't offer me a smile, didn't acknowledge me as his son." His voice was quiet. "I never ate that hot dog after all."

They were silent for a minute, absorbing what Lucas had said. "I never told anyone that before."

Peyton gripped his hand. "I'm sorry Luke. But you're the lucky one. Growing up with Nate, I always heard about the horrible things he did. You had – have – Keith and Karen. Trust me, you were better off without him."

He smiled gratefully. "Thanks." Their eyes met, green and blue together. Both were thinking about the letter that Lucas had written a few weeks ago.

"Peyton-" Lucas was about to speak, but then they heard a noise from outside in the hall.

*-*-*

**Cliff-hanger!!! **

**Now I'm not particularly pleased with this chapter, but I suppose as long as the next chapter improves it's alright. Please read and review!!! **


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